Ka Ying Rising lead-leg habit frustrates Purton but not Hayes

Zac Purton remains frustrated by Ka Ying Rising’s refusal to change lead legs, but David Hayes sees little cause for concern one week out from the champion sprinter’s return.

Ka Ying Rising again stayed on the same lead during his 1,000-meter turf trial at Sha Tin on Sunday, repeating the habit that bothered Purton after his first trial of the preparation nine days earlier.

The world’s highest-rated sprinter was never asked for anything serious in the first trial of the evening, leading throughout to win by two lengths in 56.37 seconds.

But Purton’s concern was not the performance. It was that Ka Ying Rising had again done it all on one leg.

“Frustrating,” Purton said. “The fact that he just does it so easily on that one leg is unique, but, you know, he’s going to have to get back to changing his legs and doing everything right to get back into the zone that he was in last season.

“Hopefully the case is that he’s saving it for race day. It’d be disappointing if it wasn’t, but, you know, when he starts to do everything right, he continues to do everything right, right? It’s just like he’s forgotten what he needs to do.”

Hayes was far less concerned and laughed off the issue, quipping Ka Ying Rising simply does not need to change legs when he is travelling comfortably at barrier trial speed.

“When he’s running course records, he changes legs. When he’s in trials, he doesn’t need to, you know?” Hayes said. “And Zac says he’s never ridden a horse that can go so fast on one leg.”

Hayes said the trial told him what he wanted to see before Ka Ying Rising’s seasonal return in the Group 3 HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup over 1,200m at Sha Tin next Sunday.

“I just like the way he acted before the trial,” Hayes said. “I think he’s in the right headspace and ready to run a really good race next week.

“You spell horses, trying to make them bigger and stronger, especially if they’re a sprinter, and he’s bigger and stronger than he’s ever been, so I still think we’ve got another season of him improving.”

Ka Ying Rising will resume in the Chief Executive’s Cup before heading to Sydney to defend The Everest on October 17.

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